1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a hard surface cleaner especially effective on bathroom soils, such as soap scum.
2. Brief Statement of the Related Art
A number of hard surface cleaners have been specially formulated to target bathroom soils. These include products containing liquid hypochlorite for combating mildew and fungus; products with quaternary ammonium compounds as bacteriostats; and acidic cleaners, such as those containing phosphoric or other strong mineral acids.
These cleaners will typically include buffers, dyes, fragrances, and the like in order to provide performance and/or aesthetic enhancements.
Gipp, U.S. Pat. No. 4,595,527, discloses a laundry prespotter consisting essentially of at least 5% nonionic surfactants and chelating agents, including ammonium EDTA, but which is substantially solvent-free.
Murtaugh, U.S. Pat. No. 4,029,607, discloses the use of ammonium EDTA in a drain opener, while Bolan, U.S. Pat. No. 4,207,215, discloses the use of ammonium EDTA in a thixotropic gel for tile cleaning. Neither of these two references, however, discloses, teaches or suggests the presence of a solvent, nor discloses, teaches or suggests the formulation of a liquid, single phase bathroom cleaner with enhanced soil removal.
Graubart et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,984, discloses a cleaning composition comprising quaternary ammonium compounds, tetrasodium EDTA, a mixture of surfactants, and a glycol ether. However, the reference fails to teach, disclose or suggest the use of ammonium EDTA as a chelating agent.
Garabedian et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,252,245, 5,437,807 and 5,468,423, and Choy et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,585,342, filed Mar. 24, 1995, all of common assignment herewith, disclose improved glass and surface cleaners which combine either amphoteric or nonionic surfactants with solvents and effective buffers to provide excellent streaking/filming characteristics on glass and other smooth, glossy surfaces. These disclosures are incorporated herein by reference thereto.
Co-pending application Ser. No. 081507,543, filed Jul. 26, 1995, of Zhou et al., entitled "Antimicrobial Hard Surface Cleaner," of common assignment, discloses and claims an antimicrobial hard surface cleaner which includes amine oxide, quaternary ammonium compound and tetrasodium EDTA, in which a critical amine oxide: EDTA ratio results in enhanced non-streaking and non-filming performance.
However, more of the art discloses, teaches or suggest the use of ammonium EDTA as an effective chelating agent which additionally surprisingly enhances the soil removing, especially soap scum-removing, ability of the liquid, one phase cleaners formulated therewith. Moreover, none of the art discloses, teaches or suggests the unexpected speed at which the inventive cleaners work.